Case Studies

eVo Associates is dedicated to addressing the needs of mid-sized organizations experiencing rapid growth or intending a major shift in the value of the business (growth, IPO, sale, liquidation). The breadth of our clients, in terms of industry, size and geography, demonstrates the kind of experience eVo brings to any assignment.

eVo has worked with start-ups, rapid growth companies, and multi-nationals. A few of case studies are included here. For more about eVo’s various other assignments, please contact us.

U.S. Retail Brokerage

]Situation: Three prior attempts over four years to integrate an acquisition had failed, at the cost of millions of dollars.

Results: Within the first month, worked with management of both organizations to align operations on the final structure of the integrated company, while establishing a reporting and oversight process to assure short-cycle decision-making. Successful implementation took place within six months.

Aerospace Peripheral Equipment Manufacturer

Situation: Determine to expand or divest subsidiary based on current and future valuation, including product, processes, management and organization.

Logistics and Operating Systems

Objective: Determine why client’s distribution organization was not competitive; perception of high costs and low productivity relative to competition.

Process:

Identified major reasons for customer dissatisfaction with the current sales and distribution system.

Identified key differences between client’s sales and distribution system and competitors’, including staffing, operating systems and assets.

Identified key leverage points of sales and distribution (i.e. changes that would impact the market/reduce costs) through research and financial modeling.

Results:

Developed a strategy to focus different sales techniques and methodologies in different customer segments.

Reorganized the sales and distribution systems and organization to eliminate

redundancies and inefficiencies.

Global Operations Emergency Response

Global financial institution with five regions and representation in 130 countries

Objective:Design and implement a global emergency response program to address any year 2000
issues as they arise.

Process:
1. Design global response program, including

Customer preparedness

Country by country response

Technology specific response

Cross divisional response

Communications leading up to and during Y2K event

2. Build buy-in with each of six independent divisions

Key management representatives concept review

Division by division workshops, including experiential worksessions using realtime responses to failure scenarios

Global workshop to test real-time response to failure scenarios

3. Implement management oversight to assure preparedness

Select and train response teams

Establish regular reporting processes

Results:
All predictions made in September 1999 regarding the likelihood of global technical and
other problems were realized

No significant problems (i.e., impacting performance) occur as a result of corporate controlled infrastructure (systems, applications, networks). Problems are qualified as within normal parameters based on seasonal adjustments over the past three years

Customers and processors are well informed of operational status and voice satisfaction with the frequency and quality of communications (>95% of Member post-transition comments are positive in nature)

Management Team Development

Major regional public sector provider of services to the disabled

Objective: Develop the management team in order to achieve New York State’s Empire State
Advantage Gold Award (based on the criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award).

Process:
1. Design and implement management and employee programs that included

Strategic review and re-creation

Organization structure matching desired strategy and operating plans

Performance planning and metrics-based, regular work reviews

Organization Development facilitation skills

“Breakthorugh performance” team development for all 500+ employees

2. Regular reviews over 18 month period both at management and first line levels

Results:

Receipt of the Gold Award in Albany in front of two busloads of employees

Product Delivery

Global technology infrastructure manufacturer

Objective: In preparation for IPO, guarantee continued 85% control of current market worldwide,
by assuring regular deliveries of $2M laser mask machines on time and to specifications
(few had ever been delivered on-time in 15 years of successful operation).

Process:
1. Implement metrics and performance management within executive team and their direct
reports

Appropriate metrics for each level of the organization, measuring a select few key indicators for performance within defined accountabilities

Establish reporting system to identify and resolve issues within two week turnaround time under normal conditions

Company returned to profitability within six months and exceeded all Wall Street expectations for performance on an ongoing basis.

Entry into new markets and repositioning in existing markets made company premier provider in a number of market segments.

All 22 managers received bonus and options each at least one million dollars within 18 months of intervention.

New Business Telecom Spinoff

Regionally diverse Baby Bell

Objective:Support management team in implementing strategy to enter the long distance business from concept, structure, and infrastructure to market entry – in less than six months.

Process:
1. Work with new management team to

Define the strategy and plan for the organization

Establish oversight for shifting, growing organization

Assimilate 75-125 new employees per month

Qualify for entry into six selected markets in the Midwest

Measure success on a weekly basis

2. Establish teamwork amongst individual first line teams and across entire business

Build characteristics of high performance teams into all levels of management

Support appropriate metrics at each level of the organization

Results:

Organization grew to 540 employees in six months

Each individual was assimilated into the vision of the company and the expectations of their team, their division and the entire organization

Metrics were established for all employees and teams

All market and organizational objectives were realized

Performance and communications were established and allowed the Baby Bell parent organization to keep weekly track of results

High Tech Construction Project Management

Multinational partnership of technology construction company and design firm

Objective:Assist senior management team re-capture six weeks of $2.1B fabricating plant buildout
and deliver four production lines on time (build was 6 weeks behind schedule).

Process:
1. Interview management of each of five organizations responsible for the build

Assess individual and group concerns, both of the project and the various players

2. Work with senior management team and each organization together to

Agree on the issues

Experience solving the organizational and operational concerns

Develop a plan for re-capturing the six weeks

3. Implement project management techniques to support action plan

Establish metrics-based meeting structure across all organizations

Facilitate early meetings to assure process and communications

Results:

Re-organization brought all disparate groups into chain of command and accountability process

– Five major organizations (three on client side and two on vendor’s) with 147 subcontractors

All six weeks were recaptured and all four lines qualified first time out (saving an estimated $600M for the bottom line)

Strategy/Marketing

Global beverage company

Objective:Realign the organization of a beverage company to deliver significantly higher value to
its customers.

Process:
1. Conducted research with trade partners to define how they measure value.
2. Determined why client was losing share to a major competitor in high-growth market.
3. Performed extensive research to identify if competitor had structured a business system
to deliver value to trade partners.
4. Conducted internal interviews and focus groups to gain perspective of first and secondline
employees re: the extent to which client was delivering value to trade partners.

Results:

Identified organization and operating changes required to align client’s organization with values required by trade partners, including design of a new distribution system and a new sales compensation system.

Developed detailed financial models to identify potential profitability and returns.

Technology Assessment

Superregional bank’s card operations group

Objective: Client had developed EFT technologies and wanted to assess the potential use and value
in open markets.

Process:
1. Evaluated each of the technologies developed by the client